RAPAPORT... HRD Antwerp has launched a new drop-off center in London’s
Hatton Garden, its first foray into the UK market, it said Tuesday.

The location, which is part of an effort to combat the
accidental mixture of natural and lab-grown stones, will serve as a delivery
point for UK jewelers sending diamonds and jewelry in for grading. Items
submitted to the center will then be shipped to HRD’s grading lab for testing,
and returned with a report confirming they are natural.

“There are increasing amounts of laboratory-grown diamonds
available on the market,” said HRD Antwerp commercial director David Ziegler.
“In an industry where so much relies on trust, it’s essential that you
safeguard your reputation by certifying that all of your diamonds are natural
and untreated.”

Outside of Antwerp, HRD also has several other locations,
including Mumbai, Istanbul, Israel, Dubai and Hong Kong.